Restoration
by writingforfun88
Summary: Chad and Ryan's relationship becomes tested after Ryan is the victim of an assault and loses his short term memory. Chad is convinced to restore both his memory, and their relationship, no matter what the cost. Chad's determination takes him on a journey that teaches him how powerful his love and the hate of others can be. Chyan
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Chad never liked hospitals. Hospitals always reminded him of pain. He remembered being in a hospital when his dad died, when he was ten years old. He remembered bright lights, the loud PA systems, and, most importantly, the ever present sense of emotional pain. He hated everything about hospitals.

He hated that feeling of walking around and seeing expressions sadness written on the faces of strangers that he would pass in the halls. He hated the doctors, who would often ask many questions and offer few answers. He hated the balloons. If anything, he hated the balloons. His dad's sickness and death caused Chad to never desire another balloon at another birthday party.

To Chad, the balloons signified compensation for personal pain or injury. When Chad saw a balloon he thought, _"Get well soon," _or, "I'm so sorry." Did he once think of parties, carnivals, festivals, or occasions filled with happy people screaming, "Happy Birthday,"or, "Surprise!"? Not Chad. Balloons symbolized emotional and physical pain, and Chad hated pain.

Most of all, Chad hated being patient and that was exactly what he had to do right now. He sat silent and motionless outside of room 140 where, his best friend and boyfriend of six months, was lying in a hospital bed. He was neither a doctor nor an immediate family member, which was why he was stuck with the unenviable position of sitting outside of the door and wondering about the welfare of his boyfriend, Ryan Evans.

_FLASHBACK_

"_I can't believe we did that, Chad!" Ryan said happily as the two boys, clothed in tuxedoes, walked out the front doors of East High School holding hands. "I mean, I know I begged and begged for you to dance with me at our Winter Formal, but I didn't actually think you would do it!" Ryan was hardly able to handle his excitement and giddiness. "I mean," the blonde boy continued, "Did you see the looks on their faces?" _

"_Yeah," Chad replied with a smirk, "I guess we did look pretty damn sexy together." Chad pulled Ryan closer to him. He loved how it felt, for once, to not worry about pulling Ryan close and letting Ryan walk with him, while resting his head on his shoulders. _

"_I'm just so surprised at you. Two weeks ago, you would never have been okay with coming out to the school. In fact, you said we weren't going to dance together. It needed to look like we were just friends," Ryan said while looking at Chad, as they continued to walk. _

"_What changed your mind?" Ryan asked._

"_You did." Chad's answer was simple and heartfelt. He was not the type of guy to be very emotional, mushy, or overly adoring. He told Ryan how he felt and didn't go on about it. Yet this answer said so much to Ryan. _

"_I just looked at you, sitting at the table," Chad started. "And you having fun was more important to me than what other people thought of me or, more importantly, us," he finished as he grabbed Ryan's hand and put it in his. _

_The two boys walked through the crowded school parking lot to find Ryan's black mustang. They had decided to skip out on the rest of the festivities of the Winter Formal and have some of their own festivities at the Evans' estate. Mr. and Mrs. Evans both adored Zeke and Chad, and were ecstatic to have the four kids spend their post-formal evening at their home. This worked out well for Chad because, although his mother knew of him and Ryan, he could tell she was still slightly uncomfortable with the notion of him dating another boy. _

"_Shit!" Chad exclaimed as the two boys walked up to Ryan's car. "I left my coat in the gym! I am such an idiot," he laughed as he ran his hand through his afro. _

"_At least you're a cute idiot, Chad," his boyfriend retorted before planting a quick kiss on his lips. Chad started to lean back in for another kiss, only to be met by Ryan's hand. _

"_Go get your jacket, first. We have all night for that," he said seductively. _

"_That is a great motivational tactic, Mr. Evans," Chad said in a British voice. Ryan could always tell when he got nervous because of hormones or sex, because he would try and act goofy to hide his embarrassment. Ryan thought it was extremely cute._

"_Oh Chad Danforth, tell me again why I find you so sexy" Ryan said sarcastically as he shook his head, while leaning against his mustang. _

"_Definitely the hair," Chad said quickly. "You love the fro," he added, while wearing a 'matter-of-fact' look. Ryan raised his hand and opened his mouth to offer more playful banter, but Chad quickly dashed off towards the doors. _

_Ryan heard something like, "Hold that thought, berightbackand then we.." Ryan couldn't hear the rest of the phrase because Chad was trying to talk at the same volume and sprint in the school. _

_If the truth were to be told, Ryan loved that Chad was such a goofball. Spending time with him was never a burden. It was always light hearted, fun, and they seldom fought. _

_Chad continued to run through the hallways of East High, back towards the Gym. He imagined that some of his friends would probably give him some pretty judgmental stares when he returned. Much to his dismay, Troy Bolton, his best friend, was still none too thrilled about his sexuality or, more importantly, Ryan Evans. _

_He was grateful that most of his close friends, Sharpay, Jason, Kelsi, Gabriella, Taylor, and Martha, had accepted him for who he was. Taylor was the first person to find out and be understanding. He had to tell her of the emotions and confusion he experienced when he was dating her over the summer, yet found himself infatuated with the Evans' boy. _

_Surprisingly, outside of Sharpay (which was a surprise in itself) Taylor was he and Ryan's strongest supporter. He attributed it to her love for science, justice, social causes, and intelligence. Whatever the reason, he was happy to have her support. _

_As Chad opened the doors to the gym, he noticed only Jason sitting at the group's table. "This is perfect," he thought. Everyone was out dancing, he assumed. He didn't care what they were doing in all actuality, he just wanted to grab his coat and get back to Ryan. _

_He eyed the coat, smiled at Jason and quickly said, "Forgot my coat." With that, he snatched his coat, waved to Jason, walked through the gym doors, and headed back towards the front of the school. This time he wasn't sprinting, but walking through the halls. His head was full of happy thoughts about the night's future activities, and getting to spend it with h is boyfriend. _

"_My. Boyfriend," Chad thought. "I danced at MY prom, with MY…boyfriend," Chad continued in his thoughts, causing a large grin to appear on his face. He continued to walk to the end of the hall, and he finally approached the double doors. He started towards Ryan's mustang, situated closer to the back of the parking lot. As Chad approached he noticed that one of the car doors was open and a light was left on, but there was no sign of Ryan in the car._

"_Ryan?" Chad called out. There was no answer. _

"_Ryan?" he yelled again. The lack of an answer a second time had Chad worried. He started running to the car to see if this was some joke Ryan was playing on him._

"_Ryan! Ryan!" he continued to yell as he approached the car. His anxiety increased with every repetition of Ryan's name. When he finally reached the car, he was horrified to find Ryan lying on the other side of the ground. His small frame and white tux was covered in blood and fresh wounds. The back of his head, Chad noticed, looked as if someone had hit it with a blunt object. _

"_Ryan! Oh my god!" Chad yelled hysterically as he fell down beside him. He picked Ryan's head up and put it in his lap. Chad wished with everything in him that Ryan would open his eyes and return a look, of any kind, back to Chad. He shook Ryan and tapped his face, but he remained unconscious. _

"_Ryan, oh my god. Talk to me. Ryan are you ok? Talk to me, please," he continued frantically. "Ry, come on. Please, please, please…" His voice grew more and more hoarse with emotion, the longer he looked at Ryan's body. "No, no, no, no, no, no," he said quickly as he looked at Ryan's face and torso, as he tried to figure out what to do. _

_END FLASHBACK_

Ryan had been placed in ICU, briefly, when he first arrived at the hospital. It took about 16 hours for them to stabilize his body. Chad spent this time talking to Sharpay and the Evans. She was, surprisingly, very loving and caring to Chad. Normally, she treated him with disdain and irritation and, until recently, he wasn't able to figure out if this was an act or her true feelings. He was certain now that it was an act.

She even held his hand, when they first arrived and were both in tears as they could see Ryan's beaten and bloody body, rolled into the hospital on a stretcher. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, Chad needed that. Some of their friends had been in and out of the waiting room, and his mom stayed for a few hours, but Chad had been there for everything. Mr. and Mrs. Evans, Sharpay, and Chad, were all there for every moment.

Chad knew he looked awful, but he didn't care. He knew he needed to stay. Showers could wait, food could wait, and sleep could even wait. He didn't want to miss being there if he could finally find something out.

The opening of Ryan's room door caused Chad to snap out of his own thoughts. His vivid imagination and his recollection of events that occurred, almost 48 hours ago, had caused more subtle tears to form and fall from. Chad quickly wiped his eyes and face as he stood to his feet, eager to hear some sort of news.

He was greeted by Mr. Evans and Sharpay, before the door closed behind them.

"What is it? What have they told you everyone? Is he going to be ok?" Chad asked several questions hastily. His concern and presence at the hospital had only reinforced to Mr. Evans that Chad was exactly the kind of person he wanted his son to be with.

"Listen, Chad, we need to talk," Mr. Evans said. Chad knew it was serious because he referred to him as, "Chad." Mr. Evans always called Chad, "Son, kiddo, or some other nickname." Mrs. Evans always called him, "Darling, or dear." Sharpay's loveable nickname of choice was, "Danforth, or Fro-boy."

However, their tones were entirely different. Even Sharpay said his name. Chad walked down the hall of the hospital with Sharpay and Mr. Evans. He found himself speechless because of his nerves.

The three individuals walked into one of the many waiting areas on the first floor. Luckily for them, the one they entered was unoccupied by other individuals. Chad took a seat in a chair, followed by Mr. Evans and Sharpay, who sat in the two seats beside Chad, respectively.

Sharpay and her father's faces were full of sadness and concern. He knew whatever they were going to say was going to be tough to swallow. As Mr. Evans began to open his mouth, Chad braced himself for what he was about to hear.

"Chad, this is going to be tough to tell you, son…"


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"He doesn't remember the past 9 months, the doctors estimate."

Those were the only words that Chad remembered hearing from Mr. Evans. Sure, he knew Sharpay and Mr. Evans had told him a lot of information about Ryan. He remembered hearing about police being unsure of an attacker, there being no witnesses, and the physical trauma that Ryan had suffered. All of that information was a blur, however. He found himself fixated on one simple fact: when Ryan woke from his medically induced coma, and finally did return to normal, he would probably not remember the past nine months of their time together.

He wouldn't remember anything. There would be no reminiscing of their first date, or the awkward study session when Chad finally told Ryan how he felt about him. Ryan wouldn't be able to look at Chad and know that Chad would always protect him, as he had done many times at school when kids made it a point to mock his choice of wardrobe, or imitate his sometimes dramatic and theatrical outbursts. Chad was frustrated, angry, hurt, confused, and saddened all at once. Chad felt like he had finally made so much progress coming to terms with everything and making adjustments. They had another semester left before their graduation, and the future was finally looking bright for them. He didn't know where to even start processing the new reality.

Even the small memories would be no more. Ryan wouldn't remember that he had once watched Chad frantically search for his keys and phone in his filthy room, all the while hiding the phone in his messenger bag. He wouldn't remember that he needed to teach Chad that he should keep a clean room, and he wouldn't remember the silly fight that they had once Chad learned the truth. He wouldn't remember any of their fights; even that bothered Chad.

_FLASHBACK_

"_Here, Ryan!" Gabriella and Taylor said, as they stood at their cafeteria table and waived at him from across the room. "Come sit with us today!" Taylor added, as she walked across the cafeteria to help him carry his tray and books. _

"_Jeez, what's the rush?!" Ryan said, sounding somewhat confused. He had not had a good day. He was late to Chemisty, tore his favorite pair of pants on a jagged park bench, and forgot his lunch, which caused him to have to eat cafeteria food. On top of all of that, Ryan and Chad were still having a stupid fight. _

_Ryan had been irritated at Chad for several days. The winter formal was approaching and he wanted everyone in the school to know that he was going with the one and only Chad Danforth, the second most attractive and popular boy at East High. As much as he hated to admit it, he recognized that this was probably due to his need for intense recognition and admiration. The Evans' blood ran thick. _

_Chad, on the other hand, didn't see what the fuss was all about. So what if people didn't know they were together, he thought. So what if he didn't make a formal invitation. Ryan knew they were together and Chad knew they were together, and that was all that should have mattered. Besides, Ryan already knew Chad was going to go with him. They were going to front as friends, and Chad expected Ryan to deal with it. Chad had decided that, despite how much he liked the Evans Boy, there was no way he was turning soft for him, or anyone for that matter. Chad Danforth was not a mushy guy, Chad Danforth was not gay, as far as everyone knew, and most importantly, Chad Danforth did not dance. That was the end of the discussion. _

_As Ryan and Taylor placed his books and tray at the table, Gabriella grinned brightly at Ryan. _

"_What the hell are you so cheerful about?" Ryan snapped._

"_Oh you'll see," Gabriella responded, completely ignoring Ryan's angry and hesitant tone. "We have to show you something really quick," she said as she grabbed his hand and started to pull him up from the table. _

"_I just sat down," he answered, obviously annoyed at being made to rise from the table and drop his food. He had yet to see Chad walk in the cafeteria. Ryan rolled his eyes. Knowing Chad, he was probably casually late from his previous class. "…Probably doesn't even care about food….why would he, if he doesn't care enough to ask me to the freaking formal?" Ryan muttered under his breath as he was led out of the cafeteria by Gabriella and Taylor. _

"_What did you say, Ryan?" Taylor asked, as the three of them were now in the hall outside of the cafeteria. _

"_Nothing, just..nothing," he answered. "Where are we going now?" he demanded. The frustration in his voice was quite obvious at this point. _

"_The gym," Gabriella answered as she grabbed his arm and Taylor covered his eyes._

"_You gotta be f-" Ryan began, but was interrupted with Gabriella's hand over his mouth. _

"_No time for words" she chuckled, as they led him down the hallway. He could now hear what sounded like music coming from the gym. _

_Ryan pushed Gabriella's hand away from his "Is that music?" he asked. _

"_Keep moving," Taylor almost sang. "Almost there," she said as she continued to cover his eyes. _

_Ryan was sure it was music now. In fact, it was more than music. It was music that represented an embarrassing secret of Ryan's, that only Sharpay and one other person knew. Despite his love for all things and music related to the theater, Ryan had somewhat of an obsession with the music of Michael Jackson. Until recently, only Sharpay knew this. He could now clearly hear Michael Jackson's "Rock with You," pulsating loudly from the gym. He could feel his face turning red. Intially he was furious at Sharpay for exposing his secret to Taylor and Gabriella, but when they pushed him through the gym doors, and Taylor removed her hand, he was no longer worried about any of it. _

_Ryan couldn't really remember when Gabriella and Taylor slipped out the gym doors behind him. All he could do was hear one of his favorite Michael Jackson songs over the gym sound system and stare at Chad in a tux with a sly grin on his face. _

"_Well, aren't you going to tell me I look sexy?" Chad said with a smirk._

"_What are you-I-I don't understand-I thought you said…" Ryan could hardly focus. He was stuttering because he was flattered, ecstatic, and happy that Chad was going to ask him to the formal. Even if only the two of them would know what it meant. At least it was a step. _

_Chad walked closer to the stuttering blonde boy, and Ryan was now aware that he wasn't stuttering because of his excitement. He was stuttering because Chad in a tux turned him on and made him nervous. Ryan wasn't used being unnerved by sexual tension. _

_As Chad approached, he motioned over to the corner of the gym where a stunning white tux was sitting over a chair Chad placed there. Ryan followed Chad's gesture, and looked at the tux. _

"_Chad! How did you know I wanted that tux?! How did you get it? Sharpay bought it and gave it to you, didn't she?! I know it's expensive, I sure hope you didn't spend a bunch of your money getting it for me, just for that formal, and…" Ryan's stammered questions were interrupted by Chad's lips on his. _

"_You talk too much," Chad said with a smirk. "So, Mr. Evans," Chad said in a British accent. Now Ryan knew Chad was the nervous one. "Will you attend the winter formal with me?" he asked. _

_Ryan paused dramatically. He was, after all, an Evans. Chad raised his eyebrows and looked at Ryan somewhat tentatively. _

"_Um...yes. Yes I will, Chad Danforth," Ryan said with a happy grin as he grabbed the back of Chad's afro and pulled him closer._

_END FLASHBACK_

"I…I need a minute," Chad said as he slumped in the uncomfortable waiting room chair.

"Son, I know it's difficult. Hell, you're like another son to me…and you know…"Mr. Evans began, before he was interrupted by Sharpay. She knew her father was trying to find some comfort and find the right words to say. There were still so many more details to be discussed.

"Daddy, let me and Chad have a moment," she said calmly. Mr. Evans nodded and stood from his chair. He placed a hand on Chad's shoulder, before he headed back down the hall to Ryan's room.

"Chad," Sharpay began. Chad did not make eye contact with her at first, but continued to slump in his chair and stare at the floor.

"Chad, look at me," she said more forcefully. Chad now began to lift his head slowly, and turned to face Sharpay.

"I know this is hard for you. It's hard for all of us, and I know you've probably thought for a while that I've hated you. At first, I didn't like the idea of you with my brother. I always had him pictured with a different type…more creative, romantic, not a jock…sorry. I digress. The truth is Chad, as much as I don't always like to admit, I know that he is happy with you and that you make him happy. So I'll be damned if this, this monster who did this to him is going to steal anymore away from him than he's already lost" she said as her voice began shaky and she fought off tears.

Chad began to get a little choked up and even recognized his eyes watering. Now he was certain being with Ryan had changed him. Chad Danforth never cried. He continued to look at Sharpay as her voice became more firm again.

"Chad," she began, "Memories or not, he can't afford to lose you too. You can't give up because of this," she finished, with a few tears streaming down her face. She then placed her hand on his shoulder.

"After all," she chuckled light heartedly, "You fell for an Evans and loving an Evans is never easy."

Sorry for the MAJOR delay. I swear I'm going to finish writing this story and updated about once or twice a week. I know it's been forever, but don't give up on me. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and will keep looking for the next ones!


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